May 30, 2013

"Fresh SPAM" Spring Rolls?

Fresh SPAM Spring Rolls
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Whether you like it or not, Spam definitely has it's place in Hawaiian cuisine. I never paid much attention to Spam until I moved to Hawaii. It wasn't until I was invited to share in local food that I realized that the people of Hawaii have been cooking with Spam for a long time, and have mastered the art of cooking with it. Until now, I guess musubi would have to be my favorite use of Spam, a slice of grilled Spam between two cakes of sticky rice, wrapped in nori... ono! So I decided that if Spam has merit, then I will invent another use for it. Something to offset its saltiness. Something that is full of healthy vegetables. Something that has sweet local fruit. Something that is sort of Yin-Yang. Something like a fresh spring roll with SPAM. Fresh spring rolls are a delicious Vietnamese appetizer combining fresh Asian vegetables, pork and shrimp, rolled up in a round rice paper called banh trang. It is then usually served with a sweet and sour or peanut butter dipping sauce. I have taken this idea and have made a few island changes to make it more Hawaii-style, and even more delicious. It's a little work but worth the trouble, and great for your next potluck get-together. Feel free to add your own personal touches.

Procedure:
Follow package directions and cook rice vermicelli noodles. However sometimes the package is in another language, so I usually soak my rice vermicelli in warm, not hot water for about 15-20 minutes, until the noodles are completely pliable. Then cook in boiling water for 2-3 minutes. Drain and run cold water over the top to stop the cooking and to wash off any starch which makes them stick together as they dry. I usually put a couple of drops of vegetable oil over the top and mix it in, this stops the sticking together problem. Set the noodles aside while you prepare the other items.

Fill a small saucepan half full of water, add salt and bring to a boil over high heat. Add the shrimp, reduce heat to simmer for 2-3 minutes or until cooked through. Remove the shrimp with slotted spoon and set aside to cool.

Next, cut the spam into thin 1/4 inch strips and saute them in a little teriyaki sauce for about 5 minutes, remove from heat and set aside.

Lay cooked shrimp flat and cut in half horizontally.

Fill a large frying pan with warm water and quickly dip and spin a piece of rice paper into water; make sure to wet the entire piece for about 5 seconds. Lay it down on a large cutting board or work surface. Working quickly, place a few Napa cabbage leaf strips on the near side of the rice round. On top of the leaf strips, add a small amount of rice noodles, a couple of Spam strips, a little cucumber, and mango/papaya evenly across the rice paper.

Roll the rice paper forward (in egg roll fashion), one revolution over the filling, and tuck it underneath. Add 3 mint leaves, 3 shrimp halves with the sliced side facing up. Fold the sides inwards and add a chive/green onion strips over shrimp with 1 inch sticking outside of a folded side. Continue rolling while keeping tension on the rice paper for a tight roll. The roll will seal itself. Continue making rolls until ingredients are exhausted. Serve rolls with dipping sauce of your choice (recipes below). Makes 16-18 rolls. With a sharp knife, cut rolls into 3 pieces for bite-sized pupus (appetizers).

*Rice vermicelli are thin noodles made from rice and are a form of rice noodles. They are sometimes referred to as rice noodles or rice sticks, but they should not be confused with cellophane noodles, which is another type of vermicelli. They are available in the Asian section of most grocery stores, and are a key ingredient in fresh spring rolls. Here on Moloka'i, I have gotten them at Misaki's grocery store for $3.39 for a 16 ounce package, which is twice as many noodles as you need for this recipe, so put the other half away in a zip lock bag for another time.Note: These rolls should be prepared no earlier than 3 hours before serving, otherwise the rice paper gets tough. Keep refrigerated until ready to serve with dipping sauce. Below you will find 2 different dipping sauces. You can make both or just one, whatever you like.

To make the sweet and sour dipping sauce:
Combine the water and cornstarch in a small bowl and set aside. Combine the pineapple juice, vinegar, soy sauce, brown sugar, ginger, garlic, and red pepper flakes in a small saucepan over moderately high heat and bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Stir the cornstarch slurry into the saucepan, decrease the heat to low and simmer until the sauce thickens, 3-5 minutes. Remove the sauce from the heat and allow to cool to room temperature before serving. The sauce will continue to thicken a bit more as it cools.

Note: If you are lazy like I am sometimes, or just don't have the time to make a great sauce, then try bottled Mae Ploy Sweet Chili Sauce from Thailand. It's available in the Asian section of your grocery store. It is a fairly thick sauce that is slightly sweet and is ideal for fresh Spam spring rolls.

In a small sauce pan, simmer lemon grass for 6 minutes, strain out the lemon grass, then add the remaining ingredients to the lemon grass water and simmer an additional 5 minutes. Pour into individual serving cups and serve with spring rolls.

CHEF JAMES TEMPLE

First of all, thanks for visiting Tasting Hawaii, my way of introducing you to the multi-ethnic cuisine found on these tropical Hawaiian islands.

I'm a retired chef living on the Hawaiian island of Moloka'i. It is small and rural, with a population of only 7,345. This island is tucked away between Oahu and Maui. It's special because the people living here are mostly Hawaiian. They love the old ways of aloha, where family comes first, helping your neighbor is important, and growth and tourism is not in their vocabulary.

In ancient times, it was the task of the men to prepare the food, and men and women ate meals separately. Hawaiians have always loved to cook, and so do I. No matter where you live, we all have one thing in common... FOOD. To me, sharing lives over a meal makes food what it was always meant to be, not just a nourisher, but a uniter of hearts.

After 35 years in the advertising business I thought... it's time to expand my horizons. I decided to make a big change and go back to school... cooking school. In January, 2003 I graduated from the California Culinary Academy in San Francisco, California, with an Associate of Occupational Studies in Le Cordon Bleu, Culinary Arts Degree.

I love living and cooking, especially in Hawaii. I hope you find a recipe on this blog that will become a family favorite, and that you will learn a little about Tasting Hawaii and cooking with Aloha.

Chef James Temple

CHEF JAMES TEMPLE'S COOKBOOKS: "COOKING ON MOLOKA'I"

Cooking in Hawaii is like a painter's pallet, a fusion of flavors from many nationalities, a tropical melting pot that is unique to the culinary world. This 170 page cookbook has over 120 local recipes like: Fried Honey Sesame Shrimp, Chicken Adobo in Coconut Milk, Spicy Thai Beef Salad. and Tahitian Lime Pie. These recipes are some of the best 'grindz' enjoyed on Moloka'i and the Hawaiian islands.

"TROPICAL COOKING"

Did you know that there are over 45,000 tropical islands around the world. This 170 page cookbook has a collection of over 120 tropical island recipes. Recipes like: "Banana Crumble Muffins", "Aruban Citrus Chicken", "Pineapple Rum Cake", "Lime-Garlic Pork Roast", "Black Bean, Heart of Palm, and Corn Salad", "Coconut Crab Cakes with Avocado Mango Salsa", "Coconut Shrimp Hush-puppies", or "Tropical Island Gazpacho", just to name a few.

"AMBROSIA"

In Greek mythology, Ambrosia was the food of the Gods, an elixir of life. Today, Ambrosia is still a word that stands for the best of food, food that is good enough to be eaten by the Greek Gods. This 170 page cookbook has over 120 recipes like: "Roasted Beet Bruschetta", "Cream of Artichoke Soup", Celery Root Salad with Capers and Lemon", "Roast Pork with Dried Fruit", "Shirred Eggs with Lobster", and "Plum Crumble". This is a culinary oasis that will bring fine dining to your world and romance to your plate, whether you are a deity or not.

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